Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Changing Hawaii

By Diane Yukihiro Chang

Friday, May 5, 2000

---

Big wheels must avoid
conflicts of interest

See also: View Point by Rene Mansho, May 6

NOT too much riles me about the Honolulu City Council. For the most part, its members seem industrious, pleasant and well-meaning enough. Heck, a couple of them are downright idealistic.

That's not to say, though, that our county lawmakers always "get it."

Look at Rene Mansho, the eternally upbeat, effervescent and previously scandal-free Councilwoman representing Central Oahu.

She's a likable lady, albeit one with an unfortunate inability to recognize a "conflict of interest" when she drives it. Ditto for Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) of Hawaii, the company that wants to employ her.

It all started late last year, when Mansho rode a GEM electric car -- with a pricetag of about $12,000 -- in a Christmas parade. Soon after, she began test-driving the fun, doorless four-seater at no charge.

By January, when Mansho agreed to lease the car from GEM for $150 per month, she was an avid fan.

In February, GEM asked Mansho to become a company spokesperson in exchange for free use of the car. What a deal! Mansho was all revved up.

That's when Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim got into the act. In March, she asked the city Ethics Commission if it was appropriate for Mansho to be a public advocate for the vehicles, especially since Rene was urging the city to buy more electric cars (it already owns two).

Furthermore -- according to Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion No. 310, released to the media on Wednesday -- Councilwoman Mansho:

Has testified in favor of tax credits for electric cars before the state Legislature.

Has generated media coverage and advanced the public's awareness of electric cars by driving one around.

Has not paid the $150-per-month lease fee since January, "pending a decision to be the company's spokesperson."

Has approached city department heads about the advantages of electric cars when she has "broad discretion to influence the policy and practices of the city with regard to purchasing vehicles powered by alternative fuels."

Still not sure if there's a conflict? Check out Sec. 11-104 of the Revised Charter of Honolulu. It clearly states: "Elected or appointed officers or employees shall not use their official positions to secure or grant special consideration, treatment, advantage, privilege or exemption to themselves or any person beyond that which is available to every other person."

SOMEWHAT reluctantly, Mansho has agreed to buy her electric vehicle outright -- not for the usual $12,000 price but for $11,000, since it's slightly used (although she's the one who used it).

As for GEM of Hawaii, a spokesman scoffed that this "controversy" was much ado about nothing. There's no conflict, he said, because the company wants to hire "Rene Mansho, the businesswoman, not Rene Mansho, the Council member."

Oh, brother. Sometimes businesspeople don't get it, either.

Would John Q. Public have been able to rent the same electric car for $150 a month as Mansho did? Nope.

Could Jane Q. Public as readily influence the purchase of city vehicles as a sitting Council member? Unlikely.

Would Mansho have been offered a job as GEM of Hawaii spokeswoman if she were not a member of the esteemed City Council? Honk if you know the answer.

---

Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
dchang@starbulletin.com, or by fax at 523-7863.